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GEORGE W. SOHOFIELD, OF UNITED STATES ARMY.

IMPROVEMENT m aevo vme FIRE-ARMS.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 138,047, dated April 22, 1873; application filed March 21, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. ScHoFIELn, of the United States Army, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the "accompanying drawing.

Natnre and Object of the Invention.

The invention relates to that class of firearms which open for loading by turning 'on a pivot, .which pivot connects the barrel and frame. The objects of the invention are, first, to provide a center ejector of such form and construction as to contain within itself the spring and spring-stop which serve to retract it after being raised in the operation of ejectlug empty shells; second, to provide an ejector-lii'ter for raising the ejector in the operation of operatingthe arm for the purpose of ejecting the empty shells or for loading; third, to provide a catch for moving and operating the litter, and for releasing it when the empty shells are raised clear of the cylinder; fourth, to provide a means by which the cylinder is revolved by the motion of the hammer in cooking the piece, and without any uncovered opening between the lock mechanism and the cylinder.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure 1 is a side view of the center-acting ejector. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same, showing the slots 0 c and circular cavity 11. Fig. 3 is a side view of the ejector-sprin g stop, being also itself a double Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the ejector-cap, by means of which the ejectorspring is held in place, and the bottom of which forms a surface upon which the ejectorlifter acts. Fig. 5 is a side view of the same. Fig. 6 is a side view of the lifter catch spring. Fig. 7 is a side view of the pin upon which the lifter-catch pivots. Fig. 8 is a side view of the lifter-catch. Fig. 9 is an outer view of the same; Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the frame, showing the cavity in which the liftercatch and spring operate. Fig. 11 is a top view of the same. Fig. 12 is a side View of that portion of the arm in which the frame is joined to the barrel, and showing-the shoulder y on the barrel, which serves tofree the liftercatch from the shoulder a when the arm. is opened. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the crank with its axle b, its screw-thread b, and cam'slot s, by means of which, in connection with the ratchet, Fig. 14, and operated byfthe hand, Fig. 15, which is raised by the motion of the hammer, Fig. 16,.in cooking, the cylin- Fig. 14 is a side view of the revolving ratchet, which, in connection with der is revolved.

the crank, Fig. 13, and connected with the cylinder through its notches z z and the notches a a of the ejector, Fig. 1, and operated by the motion of the hammer in cooking, the cylinder is made to revolve. Fig. 15, D, is an inside and side view of the hand with its nose w and its axle w, by means of which, through the nose 10 working in the cam-slot s, Fig. 13,

the crank O is moved forward and back by the motions of the hammer. Fig. 16 is a side view of the hammer, showing the hand D in its proper position. Fig. 17 is a side view of the crank 0 and the ratchet P, joined together by means of the screw-threads I), in their proper relations to each other. Fig. 18 is a sectional view of an arm with a revolving cylinder, and which opens for loading and for ejecting empty cartridge-shells by turning on a pivot which joins the frame to the barrel, showing the lifter J, the ejector A with its cap E E, spring-stop 0,1iotches a a,and spiral spring, the revolving ratchet z z, the lifter; catch H H with its spring Fand pivot G, the crank O, the hand D D, all in their proper po sitions, and showing their relations to each other and to other partsof the arm. Fig. 19

represents a modification of theconstruction of the stop for the spring.

" General Description.

A and B, Figs. 1 and 2,are a side and trans verse sectional view of the center-acting ejector, showing the slots 00, through which the feet 7 of the ejector-spring stop d d project and move the thread as, upon which the cap E,Fig. 5, is screwed, and circular cavity 1 in which the spiral spring operates also, showing the notches a a, which correspond in number to the number of chambers in the cylinder, and

are so arranged that when operated upon by 1 the revolving ratchet P, Fig. 14, the cylinder TED STATES PATENT Orrron.

z T l sesame is revolved so that the axis of the several chambers and the axis of the bore are successively brought into coincidence. C, Fig. 3, is a side view of the eiector-sprin g stop, which is itself a double spring, and by means of which the ejector-spring is made to act when the ejector is lifted, by-the feet (I d pressing against the shoulders "u u, andthus causing the compression of the ejector-sprin g, so that when the lifter-catch H H, Figs. 8 and 9, is freed from the shoulders a, the ejector is promptly retracted by the reaction of the spring. It is so constructed that, when the cap E is unscrewed and the ejector pulled up so that the beveled surface of the feet (I d come in contact with the bottom of the slot 0, the legs are pressed together, so that the toes of the feet d d do not project beyond the outer surface of the ejector, thus permitting the complete withdrawal of the ejector from the cylinder," after which the ejector-spring stop and spring are readily removed from the ejector. E E, Figs. 4 and 5, show a sectional and side view of the ejector-cap, with'thc thread a c, by which it IS screwed onto the ejector at as, and the checkered surface a, to facilitate its unscrewing. 'lhis'cap servesto hold the ejector-spring and stop in their proper places in the circular cavity of the ejector, and its bottom forms a surface upon which the nose of the ejector-lifter J acts in raisingthe ejector. F, Fig. 6, is a side view of the lifter-catch spring, theshorter arm of'which presses upon-the lip g of the lifter-catch H, Fig. 9, thus holding it in place and throwing it back to place afterthe liftercatch H is raised from the shoulder a of the ejector-lifter J. G, Fig. 7, is the pin upon which the lifter-catch I-I pivots. It is screwed into the frame, and its smooth part "passes through the hole It in the lifter-catch. H H, Figs 8 and 9, are a side and outer view of the lifter-catch, by means of which, when the arm is opened and broken down, the lifter J is revolved, forcing up its nose 0, which, acting .on the bottom of the ejector cap E, raises the ejector and forces outrt-h'e empty shells. It is providedwitha Tip, 9, pivot-hole h, notch q, ears k k, and beveled shoulders m m. When fixed in place as shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 18,the-noteh gneceives the shoulder a, and, operated upon by the spring F, is held firmly in place, and the bottom of the notch q presses upon the shoulder a, so that in opening the armtlre-liiterf is carried around until the bevcledshaahlermt, Fig. 9, touches the beveled shouldeiy, Fig. 12, which 'beveied shoulders comin g i 'rcontactforce back the forwardljpartioftwhiteflcatch H, thus freeing the notch q trera the 'shohlder a, at which moment the ejector is immediately retracted by the ejector-spring, and the lifter thus thrown back to its original position then, in closing the arm, the lifter-catch H as it passes over the rear surface of the shoulder a is again raised, and at the instant it clears the shoulder is thrown into its place by the action of the catch-spring F acting on the lip 94 By spring F operate.

means of the ears k k, the surfaces of which are checkered, bcingpressed upon by the thumb and toretinger, the catch H can be freed from the shoulder a at any point after the ejector is started, or before it is started, thus I enabling the operator to raise the empty shells or cartridges all of the way, or any portion of the way, out of the chambers, or to open the arm to its fullest extent without moving them at all. N N, Figs. 10 and 1.1, are a bottom and top View of a portion of the frame, showing the cavity in which the lifter-catch H and A mortise. is cut into the lower portion of the frame, and a hole drilled in deeper to receive the spring F, Fig. 6, the bottom surface being cut in deeper than the upper surface, so as to afford a rest for the longer arm of the spring. The spring being placed in this receptacle, the lifter-catch H is placed in position, the lip g pressing upon the shorter arm of the spring, and is secured in place by means of the pin G, Fig. 7

.M, Fig. '12, is a side view of that portion of the arm in which the frame is joined to the barrel, and which contains the lifter-catch and spring. It shows the shoulder 4 which, be-

ing brought in contact with the beveled formed of one piece of metal, as shown in the drawing, or may be made in two parts, the

axle and crank separate, to be united by screw or otherwise. When placed in the arm, by passing the axle through the holeww in recoilshield, as shown in Fig. 218, the revolving ratchet 1, Fig. 14, is screwed onto the end of the axle b, so that when the cylinder is in position, as shown in Fig. 18, the notches in the revolving ratchet unitewith the notches on the ejector, by means of which the crank O is turned by the handD 1) in the operation of drawing back the hammer and the cylinder revolved. The inner surface of the revolving ratchet P rests against the shoulder on axle b, which shoulder projects a distance beyond the face of the recoil-shield, thus giving it a slight play backward and forward, by which the notches z z and a a maybe readilya number of notches or projecting points to correspond with the notches a a in the ejector,

Fig. 1; it has a circular aperture through its centm, with a'thread cut in the, same for the purpose of screwing it into the axle b. D D,

Fig, 15, is an inside and side view of the hand, whose axle w passes through a circular aperture in. the hammer R R, and being operated upon by a spring, the nose w is kept in the cam-slot a at all times, and which serves to turn the crank 0 forward when the hammer is drawn back thus revolving the cylinder,

and to throw it back when. the hammer is thrown forward, by which latter motion the revoiving ratchet is again brought in contact with the notches a a on the ejector for again revolving the cylinder when the hammer is again drawn back. B, Fig. 16, is a side view of a hammer, with the hand D D in its proper position'when' the hammer is removed from the arm. Fig. 17 is a side view of the crank O and the ratchet P, united as when placed in the arm, and showing theirproper relations to each other. Fig. 18 is a sectional view of a portion of an arm with "a revolving cylinder, showing the ejector A,-Fig. 1, with its cap E, spring-stop 0, and spiral spring in their proper positions; the lifter J, with its shoulder a and noseo, in its proper position; the lifter. H H, with its spring F,

pivot G,ears I: k, and lipg in their proper position; the crank 0 and ratchet P in their proper position and connection; the hand 1) D and the hammer R intheir'proper position and connection; and all these parts in their 7 proper relation to each other and to other parts of the arm.

' serted in the hollow ejector or extractor stem' so far as to bring the hole 1" under the lower end of the slots 0, when the pin 1 is inserted in the hole 1'. One arm of the pin lprojects on one side of the square stem of the ejector, and its angle or elbow on the other side, so as to strike the shoulders at u in the cavity of the cylinder, and when the ejector is raised serve to compress the spring; A straight instead 'of an L-shaped pin would accomplish the same end as a stop, but it would be inconvenient to manipulate, as it is so small and put in such a contracted place.

6' Zaims.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combine. "on of an extractor having and for the purpose described. 3. The combination of the extractor-stem, ,lift'er, and lifter-catch, said catch being provided with ears k 70, so that it may be thrown out of catch with the lifter, as desired, and as specified.

. 4:- In combination with the hammer R and the hand D pivoted thereto, the crank O, and the nose w, and, slot 8 for revolving the cylinder, substantially as described.

5. In combination with'the hammer, hand, and crank, the recoil-plate interposed between the'head of the crank. or the crank-arm and the ratchet or semtclutch on the shank or axle of said crank, so as to rotate the cylinder and at the same time out off all escape for the gas between the cylinder and the lock mechanism, substantially as described. 7

G. W. SOHOFIELD.

Witnesses:

CHAS. 0. WILSON, B. H. WHITTLESEY. 

